A spoiler is a panel hinged to the upper surface of a wing. The primary function of the spoiler is to reduce lift of the wing, although a secondary effect of the spoiler is to slightly increase the drag of the wing due to the increase in frontal area presented by the spoiler. The spoiler may be deployed during cruise, during landing approach, and/or during landing.
Conventionally an array of such spoilers is provided for failsafe purposes. That is, each spoiler is controlled by an independent actuator so that if one of the actuators fails the remaining spoilers can still be deployed. The individual spoilers are closely spaced with no gap between the spoilers. Generally, spoilers are made from solid material such as metal or composite. The edges of the spoilers include solid rubber seals which prevent the leakage of airflow between them in both their deployed and retracted positions.
The physical size of a spoiler depends on the requirements of lift reduction and speed reduction during the various flight phases. However, it would be desirable to reduce the size of the spoilers and the associated complexity of the actuation mechanisms which are used to control them, as long as the same aerodynamic effect is maintained.